In the Blood
by Tellemicus Sundance
Summary: After many years and hardships, Naruto is finally able to live his childhood dreams. But now he must prepare his children for what will one day be their duty: protecting Konoha. However enemy forces are gathering and that time may be sooner than expected.
1. Isamu

Naruto: In the Blood

By: Tellemicus Sundance

Isamu

It was a painfully hot day. The sun was out, not a cloud in sight, and the heat of a summer day was already blazing despite it only being mid-morning. The heat was only intensified up on the high rock ledges and pillars that they stood upon. Sweat was coating both of them, even if they hadn't been doing intense training.

With a cry of pain, the small boy was thrown tumbling to the edge of the ledge. It was only the boy's baggy orange clothes that prevented him from falling off the edge, by getting snared on a small rock and halting his tumble.

Dashing forward while his opponent was still down, the tall blonde had his fist raised high. Seeing his father intent on another attack, the boy scrambled to his feet waving one hand up in a meager defense.

Stopping short, Uzumaki Naruto lowered his fist as a small foxy grin came across his face. "Not bad, Isamu," Naruto said as he lowered a hand to help his son to his feet. "How about a little break before we continue?"

The eleven-year-old boy stared at his father's outstretched hand with pale eyes wide in suspicion, as if expecting a feint. This drew a chuckle from Naruto, his son was still on high-alert and expecting anything. Not that he wasn't really surprised since he'd pulled this little trick several times before.

He grinned down at his son's gaze. Those pale eyes that stared up at him were clear indicators who his ancestors were. But, unlike the rest of his ridiculously extended family, Isamu didn't have their bloodline limit.

Those uptight, untrusting councilors from both the clan and village had performed a special ceremony on the child while he was born to remove the Byakugan. It had served several purposes. The first was to prevent their 'perfect bloodline' to leave their clan and potentially spread to all neighboring clans in the village. As cruel as it sounded, the ceremony was actually quite harmless on a newborn child. And it was used on a surprisingly frequent basis.

Unlike Neji and Tenten, who'd chosen to live in the clan and by it's rules and regulations, Naruto and Hinata had left it. At the time, the two had finally both reached Jounin and were planning their wedding. Their plans for leaving the clan were only solidified when they learned of Hinata's pregnancy. Even though Hinata had to undergo the same ceremony for the removal of the Byakugan, they had to repeat it for Isamu since it was already part of his blood. But it had been painless for Isamu, it was the opposite for Hinata. She had to be in the hospital for two months afterwards.

Naruto, now the Rokudaime Hokage, was proudly training his eldest son. Isamu was as naïve as Naruto had been at that age, but extremely smart. With his natural intuition and Naruto's chakra potential in his own body, Isamu had been able graduate a full year earlier than either of his parents from the Shinobi Academy. Still a rookie genin, he and his team had proven worthy of attending the Chuunin Exam.

The exam was now in its final stages and Naruto was giving his son what he'd wanted when he'd first taken the exam. Personal training from his mentor. They still had almost three weeks of training left and Isamu had made considerable progress when Naruto had the time to spare to actually train him.

Climbing to his feet and pointedly ignoring his father's hand, Isamu took a few cautious steps away from the edge and around his father before assuming an aggressive stance. The look in his pale blue eyes was that steely determination.

"Isamu-kun?" Naruto asked as his withdrew his hand, his head cocked slightly to the side in his confusion. The only warnings he had were a sudden spike in his chakra and Isamu's slightly tensed body.

Rushing forward, Isamu sent a fast kick at him. Naruto easily dodged, watching as Isamu rebounded and came at him again with his fists. Effortlessly blocking the punches, he sent a gentle kick up at Isamu's chin. Jumping slightly, Isamu caught his knee and pushed himself up into the air. Flipping backward, Isamu landed easily before sending a vicious kick of his own at Naruto's chin.

Ducking under the leg, Naruto removed Isamu's only supporting foot from the earth. Backing away from the edge, Naruto watched as his son bounced easily to his feet. Rather than attacking, Isamu held up his hand as chakra began slowly spinning around his palm.

"I think I understand now," Isamu said quietly, staring his father in the eyes. "Neji-otooji was right about you. You're much too caring of me to take me seriously."

Naruto just stared quietly at his son. Neji had been Isamu's childhood mentor when Naruto had finally become Hokage. Between his own missions of course. Though he never quite learned what or how Neji taught his son, Naruto couldn't really complain with the results. Isamu had always exhausted when he came home, almost always out of chakra, but grinning like an idiot.

As the slowly forming Rasengan in his hand took form, Isamu dashed forward. "Now fight me!" Naruto dodged the attack, sweeping his foot under Isamu. The Rasengan hit the ground, creating a fair sized crater and sending dust and debris up into Isamu's face.

Bouncing up Isamu rushed his father again, despite having to close his eyes. Throwing a multitude of punches, he started to yell out, "I need to get stronger for the Finals, Otousan!" Opening his watery eyes, Isamu threw a fast kick. "Fight me!" The kick was blocked easily, as Isamu fell to the ground, Naruto threw his own. "You're holding back!" Naruto was mildly surprised to see his son block the kick.

Isamu dashed forward with a fast forming Rasengan in his palm. Catching his son's wrist, Naruto sent another kick up and landed a solid hit in his side. The Rasengan lost its form as he releasing the wrist and watched as his son was throwing several meters to the side.

Once again bouncing to his feet, Isamu held up his hand as a surprisingly large Rasengan formed in his palm. Naruto watched his son carefully. Such a large Rasengan would be rather difficult to catch like the last one and it would hurt even someone like him if it even grazed him.

"If you want me to reach new strengths," Isamu growled as he crouched down. "Then don't hold back because I'm your son!" He rushed forward with his Rasengan spinning madly.

It was only from years of experience alone that allowed Naruto to be capable of standing there and catch the Rasengan. Molding his own chakra to match the speed and rotation of the chakra, he snatched the deadly jutsu out of his son's hand. Using the boy's surprised gaze to his advantage, he punched him in the gut. As the boy was recoiling, he rushed forward with the captured Rasengan. Stumbling, Isamu had only a spare second to roll aside as his Rasengan came down towards him. It demolished an even larger crater into the rock ledge. Ignoring the shrapnel, Isamu kicked out at his father but missed horribly.

Backing away as his son climbed to his feet, Naruto watched his settled into his stance again. What was his son trying to do? He was near the end of his chakra supply, on the edge of exhaustion but he still wanted to train? It didn't really surprise him, since he used to be like that. After a lifetime of training, Naruto had finally come to accept his own limits and when not to push them. But Isamu didn't seem to be only fighting to find his limits.

What did he want?

"_NO!_" Isamu yelled, his temper flaring. "That's not good enough! Not if you want me to go _berserk_!" This drew Naruto's attention instantly. "I _know _that you have the Kyuubi inside you." Naruto flinched at that. How did Isamu know? Neither he nor Hinata had ever told any of their children about that! "And if you can use the Kyuubi's youki, then so can I! Now come at me with everything you've got!"

_So that's what he wanted,_ he realized. He wanted to see if he could also utilize youki, even though he had no demon sealed into him. But because he didn't have demon, shouldn't he not be able to do that? It seemed impossible. But as Naruto's son, didn't that pose a _possibility_ of it?

"_I want to see if I can do it!_" Isamu screamed, his remaining chakra spinning around his body. That action made Naruto's choice for him.

Using the now well-known impulse, Naruto drew out a considerable amount of the Kyuubi's youki. The youki surrounded him in a vague flame pattern, kicking up a gust of wind and blowing away all the loose dirt and dust from the rock ledge. Bringing his hands together, Naruto began forming his improved version of the Rasengan. It had taken years of training, even with his Kage Bunshin trick, but he'd finally mastered it to a degree that he could form it using both hands. Despite the fact that he was using youki, Naruto was careful to use only enough that could badly hurt his son, not kill.

Covering his eyes against the gust, Isamu couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction. The waves of vicious youki washing over him might've terrified any other person. But as Naruto's son, he was resistant to the terror but only felt that annoyingly familiar feel of warmth. It was familiar but foreign at the same time. Like what he'd imagined it feel like to himself.

Uncovering his eyes, he saw his father forming his best jutsu. Now he was grinning widely, this would be a challenge for once!

"Yeah!" he cried out. "That's more like it!"

Then his father was suddenly in his face, bringing the jutsu in on him. With a shout, Naruto shoved the jutsu at him. Crying out himself, Isamu channeled as much chakra as he could into his hands.

He caught the jutsu before it landed. The swirling mass felt like it was white-hot in his hands. It hurt to touch it, even with his own chakra buffering the effects slightly. He tried to shove away from himself. But his father was too strong, it wouldn't budge. Not giving up, he tried again and again. Each time he tried his strength failed and he felt himself weakening.

_NO!_ he cried out in his mind. _I can't fail now! I've come too far to give up. I don't wanna fail!_ But the fact of the matter was he had always been treated like a prince in his family. His father was always so loving and gentle with him. His mother was even more so. Isamu had always liked it that way. They loved him, he loved them and his younger siblings.

He'd always been given almost everything he'd ever wanted from them. With his father as Hokage and his mother as one of the more formidable Jounins, even without her Byakugan, Isamu had always been given unconditional respect. People saw in him the talents of his parents. They expected him to be able to do almost everything that they could.

But when it had come down to a brutal fight on his second C-class mission away from Konoha, he hadn't been strong enough. Instead, he'd been arrogant. He'd gotten trapped in an enemy-nin's jutsu and almost died. Then he'd been saved by his sensei, Sarutobi Konohamaru. He hadn't been able to win himself. Because Konohamaru had been forced to save him, they'd failed the mission when the woman they'd been guarding was killed.

Then in the Chuunin Exam, he'd been put to his limits. Trying to survive and protect his teammates as well had led to him expending too much of his chakra and leaving him as a handicap for his teammate until he recovered. It was only by a fluke that he'd made it into the Final Exam, everyone knew it but no one said anything.

He was sick of _always _being left behind! Of people saving him! Why couldn't it be _him _who saved someone for once?! It wasn't _fair!_ He knew several of his parent's best jutsus, including Rasengan, Kage Bunshin, a modified version of Kaiten, and even the basics of the Jyuuken. With formidable jutsus like that, why couldn't he do _more?! _

It wasn't fair!

Something inside him suddenly shifted. He could feel it. Like a door he'd never seen before had been opened. And as he walked through it, he felt an ocean of power wash over him. It was hot, boiling with rage. Rage at himself, at his father, mother, teachers, friends, everyone and everything.

Then the burning of his skin brought him back to reality. His body felt like it was on fire, literally. His skin had taken on an almost unhealthy red tint from the spiraling waves of youki that raced around him and was glowing his hands. The improved Rasengan that he'd caught was no longer hurting him, nothing could hurt him more than the pain he was experiencing right now. With a shout of rage, Isamu grabbed viciously onto the jutsu and _crushed _it.

When his jutsu was suddenly destroyed, Naruto jumped back as the youki he was using faded away. He watched in awe at his son. Swirling around his flinching body was red-hot youki. His once pale blue eyes were now blood-red with now visible black pupils that were slitted. The boy's teeth had become longer, sharper, as had his finger and toenails. Even his whisker marks, much like Naruto's, had taken on a broader and darker appearance.

_So, he really can do it,_ Naruto could only think as he felt a small grin grow on his face.

Isamu was trembling in his fury as he crouched down slightly, like an angry animal. Then, abruptly, the youki vanished and Isamu's features returned to normal. The boy stumbled forward, barely catching himself as he wheezed for a breath. That had been the most painful thing he'd ever done in his life, even more than training with Neji-otooji in his younger years. But he'd never felt so tired in all his life.

He was so exhausted that he could barely lifted his head to look up at his father as the man crouched down next to him. Isamu wasn't sure what he was looking for when he made eye contact. But when Naruto placed a gentle hand on his shoulder with a proud smile on his face, he suddenly felt much better.

"So," Naruto said quietly. "Do you still think I'm being gentle with you?"

Soft chuckles escaped Isamu before he fell to the ground in faint of dead exhaustion.

Like father, like son.

To Be Continued

**(Author's Note)** This has always been something I've wanted to write. I've been wondering if Naruto's children, should he have any, would be able to go berserk like him and use youki as well. I'd like to think so, but I get the feeling the Kishimoto-san isn't going to have Naruto have children. Probably pull some bullshit like have him be sterile because of the youki or him die before he can have any.

And before any of you ask, this story doesn't have anything to do with the _Legacy_. There is absolutely no chance of this scene ever showing up in the _Legacy _due to what I have planned to happen.

Plus, I'm only writing this story for two reasons.  
1) I'm bored  
2) Chapter 24 for the Legacy is taking longer than I expected it to take. Between MIA beta-readers and a sudden lack of inspiration for the story. But I'll try to get it up asap so don't worry.

Isamu means _to be encourage, to be in high spirits_.  
Otooji means _uncle_.


	2. Tsuyomaru

Naruto: In the Blood

By: Tellemicus Sundance

Tsuyomaru

Panting heavily, the young boy couldn't stop himself from sagging over. He just didn't have the strength to stand up straight anymore. His body was covered in swelling bruises, scrapes and cuts, and fair amounts of mud were clinging to him thanks to his sweat. His sweat was so thick that he could watch it dripping from the tip of his nose to the ground under him. It was also thanks to his sweat that his clothes, mainly his loose blue shirt, was sticking to him.

"Not bad, Tsuyomaru," a deep voice said from behind him. "You've improved the jutsu greatly since I last saw it."

Somehow finding the strength to raise his head and glance in the direction of the voice, he found his father standing several paces away from him and the rock outcropping in front of him. His father towered over his small stature as always, radiating a power and strength unrivaled by almost anyone.

"Arigato…otou--san," Tsuyomaru said, breathlessly.

"How do you believe you will fare in the Exam?" his father asked, in a voice that many would've believed he truly didn't care. But Tsuyomaru knew better, this was his father after all. The greatest shinobi _ever!_ And Tsuyomaru was by far his father's most favorite of his ten other children that had been born to date.

"I'll…win--it for sure," the almost twelve-year-old answered proudly as his breath finally began to slow. "I'm your son, after all."

That statement got a slight upward twitch from his father's lips. If there was one thing that he cared more about than anything else now, it was his children and their incredible abilities. But Tsuyomaru, the eldest, was by far the most promising. He'd finally discovered how to utilize his kekkei genkai and has since greatly improved his control of it in the past few months since he'd become a genin. In fact, his son's ability far surpassed his own when he was at the same age.

Tsuyomaru was a genius of geniuses.

"There is something I wish to give you, Tsuyomaru," he said after a moment.

With a slight stagger from complaining leg muscles, Tsuyomaru walked over to his father as the man reached for his belt. He wasn't sure what to expect, but certainly not what he received. His father withdrew his very own katana and presented it to him!

Stupidified, Tsuyomaru could only stutter out a weak protest as his hands took hold of it. Sure he'd been very well trained in the use of swords, he was a natural with a katana actually. He'd even began to consider getting his own eventually, but he'd never imagined his father to give away his own!

"I'm giving it to you," his father said firmly, making it abundantly clear he wanted his son to have it. "because you've earned it."

Looking up at his father again, Tsuyomaru could only nod. Then a slow smile crawled up his usually neutral face as he unsheathed the deadly blade that had taken the lives of many powerful enemies. Gazing at the strong steel of the blade, he felt a sudden impulse to practice it.

Turning away from his father, he leapt away. Landing in a crouch, he brought the blade down and began a series of complicated and blindingly fast slashes and stabs. If he hadn't been very tired already, he would've pushed himself to go faster and slash harder. But after a minute or two of experimentation, Tsuyomaru found he couldn't ignore the complaints of his body any longer.

Sheathing the sword, Tsuyomaru dropped heavily to the ground to rest. He couldn't afford to faint from chakra depletion and muscle failure. He had less than a week left before the Chuunin Final Exam was held and he wanted to be in his best shape for that.

"Otousan," Tsuyomaru called, knowing his father was still there. "Are you going to watch the exams?"

"Some of it," was the answer. Which Tsuyomaru translated as he was only going to watch his matches. "But I have some important business to settle with an old friend that day. So I might not be able to see you in the finals."

Glancing over at his father in disappointment, Tsuyomaru said, "Really? Hm…well, can you at least be there to see me beat a certain somebody?"

"Uzumaki?" his father asked, a smirk almost escaping his control.

"Hai!"

Uzumaki Isamu, son of the Rokudaime Hokage, the one genin that Tsuyomaru considered as his only rival. He'd met Isamu for the first time in the Forest of Death during the second part of the Chuunin Exam. The two boys had gone head-to-head in a winner-take-all battle for the other's scroll. Apparently though Tsuyomaru had been able to acquire the scroll in the end, Isamu had proven himself to be an adversary worthy of any shinobi's respect.

The irony of it was not lost on Uchiha Sasuke.

Not at all.

* * *

**(Author's Note)** Hm, I see a pattern developing here for me. Whenever I know I'm overdue for a new chapter, I write another one-shot or chapter of something as a 'sorry' to all of you. From now on whenever I get held up on releasing a chapter of the _Legacy_, I'll post a chapter on this story. However, don't expect very long chapters since these scenarios just appear off the top of my head. 

Don't worry about the _Legacy_. I have Chapter 30 finally completed. I'm only waiting on Ultra Sonic's review before I post it. But he seems to be quite busy this past and coming week. So you could probably expect the chapter out sometime next week _if we're lucky_.

Tsuyomaru means '_to gain strength_'


End file.
